Scull for boats



Dec. 19, 1944. KRUS-E 2,365,415

S CULL FOR BOATS Filed May 8, 1944 Patented Dec. 19, 1944 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 2,365,415 a SCULL FOR BOATS Edward H. Kruse, Fort Wayne,Ind.

Application May 8, 1944, Serial No. 534,551

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a scull for propelling boatsin which a flexible blade, attached to an oar shaft having swivelsupport in connection with a boat to be propelled is employed.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable maneuveringappliance that is readily attachable to an ordinary rowboat by which topropel the boat forward or backward and effect steerage thereof duringpropulsion.

Another object of the invention is to construct the device so as topermit folding of parts thereof to conserve space during transport andstorage thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means readilyaccessible to the operator when the device is mounted on a boat by whichto efiect reversal of the propeller blade and to lock the blade inselected positions of adjustment.

And a further object of the invention is to provide means of adjustmentin connection with the operating shaft and its support by which tosustain the operating shaft in selected positions of inclinationrelative to the boat while mounted I thereon.

Other objects and advantages of the invention appear in the followingdescription.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a structure inwhich the invention is incorporated, parts being in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the operating shaft andthe propeller blade in normal position while idle;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the operating shaft and thepropeller blade while flexed during travel in one direction;

Fig. 4 is another fragmentary top plan view of the operating shaft andthe propeller blade while flexed during travel in the oppositedirection;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view upon an enlarged scale in section on theline a::r of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail View showing a fragmentary cross-section of Fig. 5,on the line yy thereof and v Fig. 7 is a detail view showing across-sectionof Fig. 5 on the line z-z thereof. v

The illustrative embodiment of the invention consists of a bracket 8made in a form adapted to rest astride the stern 9 of a boat, therebeing provided a clamp-screw I0 and binding nut H by which to clamp thebracket in place. A swivel.

head I2 ismounted on the bracket and is secured thereto by its stem l3so as to have turning movement upon a vertical axis in the bracket. Ateeter-bar I4 is mounted upon the swivel head with which it is securedby means of a fulcrum pin l5 to'permit tilting movement of the teeterbarabout the horizontal axis of the pin. An adjusting bolt I6 is threadedin the teeter-bar and is disposed so that its lower end bears upon aledge I! that projects rearwardly from the swivel head. By turning ofthe bolt tilting movement of the teeter-bar in one direction is limitedthus to sustain the bar in selected positions of ad- J'ustment.

Lateral swinging movement of the teeter-bar about the axis of the swivelhead is imparted by means of an operating handle I8 which has abifurcated member I9 that is connected to the teeter-bar by atransversely disposed hinge pin 20 and rests, when in operatingposition, upon a projecting lip 2| on the forward end of the teeter-bar.The operating handle is adapted to be folded over onto the rear portionof the teeterbar out of the way of the operator when the device is outof use.

A tubular operating shaft 22 i secured to the teeter-bar I4 so as toextend rearwardly in longitudinal alinement therewith, the rear endportion of the shaft being bent downwardly to depend substantially in avertical plane. Upon the pendent end portion 23 of the shaft is mounteda flexible propeller blade 24, preferably formed of rubber,- which has atubular head 25 that encompasses the pendent portion of the shaftloosely so as to permit turning and axial movement thereon. The lowerend of the tubular head of the blade hassecured thereon a dog 26 throughwhich the lower end of the shaft loosely extends, there being secured onthe terminal end of the shaft a lock member 2! having an external flange28 provided with opposite radial notches peller attached thereto aremoved upwardly thus to vclear the lugs from the notches 29 in the bymanipulation of the adjusting bolt [6.

- the other.

lock member and permit turning of the dog and the blade upon the shaft.

Upon the shaft 23 is concentrically disposed a compression spring 34that is confined between a disk 35 on the shaft and a ball bearing 36seated concentrically in the upper end of the tubular head 25 of theblade. The spring urges the blade head and its dog downwardly intoengagement with the lock member 21.

Mean are, provided. for disengaging the dog from the lock member thus topermit turning of the propeller blade from one to another of itsoperating positions. For this purpose there is conveniently arranged alock lever 3'! which is secured to the teeter-bar I4 by a hinge pivot38, and is connected with the cross-bar 32 by a pullwire 39 that extendsfrom the lock lever irito the operating shaft through an opening 40therein, the arrangement being such as to cause lengthwise travel of thewire in the shaft upon operation of the lock lever, in opposition to.retraint of the spring 34, wherefore to release the dog from engagementwith thelock member thus to permit turning of "the blade on th shaftfrom one position of. adjustment to another.

In utilizing the invention, the appliance is mounted upon anordinary'l'owboat by clamping the bracket astride the stern structure 9thereof so the operating shaft extends rearwardly from the boat and thepropeller blade is submerged in the water to a suitable depth aspredetermined The propeller blade 24 .is then adjusted so as to extendrearwardly or forwardly from it support on the operating shaft,according to the direction in which the boat is to be propelled.Movement of the propeller blade from one of its operating positions tothe other is conveniently accomplished by manipulation of the lock lever3'! so as to release the dog from engagement with the lock member 2;!and then, While thus released,

swaying the operating shaft laterally to and fro by manipulation of theoperating handle l8. The propeller blade, owing to resistance of thewater, trails in the path of movement. of the pendent operating shaftand is turned thereon from its initial position, and upon reverselateral sway of the operating shaft :is caused to swerve toward itsopposite operating position, which is induced by resistance of the waterto the travel of the blade. In this manner, the operator, while seatedin the boat, by simply manipulating the lock lever 31 and the operating,handle i8, is enabled to effect adjustment of the propeller blade intoeither one or the other ofv its operating positions, according to thedirection of travel desired;

A feature of the invention is that the structure permits flexure of thepropeller blade 24 as it is alternately moved broadside against opposingwalls of water; In the present instance the tubular head of the blade,at its lower end, is restrained from turning movement on the operatingshaft by the dog when locked, while the upper end of the tubular head isunrestrained from having torsional movement about the shaft, the ballbearing 36 being provided to permit lagging of the upper portion of thepropeller blade when the blade is in action in either one direction orThus i assured presentation of the active faces of the propeller bladeagainst the opposing walls of the "surrounding water, advantageou'slyflexed to induce propulsion.

Variations from the particular construction above disclosed may beresorted to by the exercise of skill in the art, without departure fromthe spirit or scope of the invention, and the following claims areintended to be inclusive of such variations.

What I claim is:

1. A scull for propelling a boat, a bracket detachably secured to thestern of a boat, a swivel head mounted on said bracket for movementabout a vertical axis, a teeter-bar fulcrumed on said head for movementabout a horizontal axis, a tubular operating shaft secured to andextending'frorn the teeter-bar rearwardlyin axial alinement therewith,the rear end portion of said shaft extending pendently, a flexiblepropeller blade having a tubular head encompassing the pendent portionof said shaft loosely to permit turning and axial movement relativethereto, a lock member secured on the terminal end of said shaft, .a dogsecured about the lower end of said head having engagement with saidlock member in selected relative positions, a spring acting on said headto-sustain engagementof the dog with said lock member, a mechanismhaving a lock lever on said teeter-bar, and a cross bar engaged withsaid dog connectedly attached to said lock lever to control lockingengagement of said dog with said member, and an operating handleconnected with said teeter-bar wherefore to manually impart movement tosaid operating shaft.

2. In a sculling attachment for a boat, a bracket attachable to. thestern of a boat, an operating shaft having means in connection with saidbracket to support said shaft and permit vertical tilting and lateralsway of the shaft relative to the bracket, said shaft having va pendentrear portion, a flexible propeller blade provided with a tubular headthat encompasses the pendent portion of said shaft loosely to permitturning and axial movement thereon, means in connection with said headand the shaft to lock said blade in opposite operative positionsselectively on said shaft, av lock lever and means in connection withsaid lever and the blade structure to control locking engagementthereofwith said shaft, and a handle in connection with the operating shaft'for imparting movement thereto.

3. In a boat sculling apparatus, a bracket attachable to the stern of aboat, an operating shaft having means in connection with said bracket tosupport said shaft and permit vertical tilting and lateral sway'thereofrelative to the bracket, said shaft having a pendent rear portion, aflexible propellerfblade provided with a tubular head thatl'oosely'encompasses the pendent portion of said shaft, locking means inconnection with the lower end of said head and the shaft to secure theblade to'the shaft .in opposite operative positions selectively, and alock lever provided with a connection with said locking means forcontrolling same.

4. In a boat sculling apparatus, a bracket attachable to the stern of aboat, an operating shaft having means in connection with said bracketfor support thereon and to'perrm't'vertica'l tilting and lateral sway ofthe shaft relative to the to said shaft adjacent said dog adapted tohave engagement with said dog to secure said blade in opposite operatingpositions selectively on the I shaft, and means including a lock leverand a connection between said lever and the dog to control engagement ofsaid dog with said lock member.

5. In a boat sculling apparatus, a bracket attachable to the stern of aboat, a swivel head mounted on said bracket for movement about avertical axis, an operating shaft pivoted on said head for tiltingmovement about a horizontal axis, said shaft having a pendent rearportion, a flexible propeller mounted movably on said pendent portion,and means in connection with said propeller and shaft for locking saidpropeller in opposite operating positions selectively relative to saidshaft.

6. In a boat propellin apparatus, a bracket attachable to a boat, anoperating shaft mounted in connection with said bracket for verticaltilting and lateral swaying movement relative thereto, a flexiblepropeller blade having a tubular head disposed loosely on the rear endportion of said shaft for axial and turning movement thereon, a dog onone end of said head, a lock member on said shaft with which said doghas engagement in opposite operating positions selectively, a springacting to hold said dog in locked position, and a mechanism, havingengagement with said dog, provided with a lock lever and a connectiontherebetween, wherefore to unlock the dog in opposition to said springand permit turn ing of the propeller blade from one operating positionto another.

7. In a. boat propelling apparatus, a bracket attachable to a boat, anoperating shaft mounted in connection with said bracket for verticaltilting and lateral swaying movement relative thereto, a flexiblepropeller blade having a head through which one end portion of saidshaft loosely extends, and means in connection with one end of said headand the shaft to prevent relative turning movement thereof, theremaining portion of said head being free to have movement about saidshaft to permit lagging thereof as the blade is flexed upon swayingmovement of the shaft in either direction.

8. In a boat propelling apparatus, a bracket attachable to a boat, anoperating shaft mounted in connection with said bracket for verticaltilting and lateral swaying movement relative thereto, and a flexiblepropeller blade having a head one end ofwhich is secured to said shaftand the remaining portion thereof being free to have lagging movementabout the shaftupon flexure of the blade as the shaft is swayed ineither 25 direction.

